"Although we don't have it, I have no idea whether it is indeed a treasure or not. I do know who might know."
"Who is it?" Zhao Chen asked.
Lin Hai smiled in response, then turned around and pointed at Lin Feng.
"Of course it is my dear nephew right here."
....
Hearing the reply, everyone was stunned at the sudden turn of events. The place became deathly quiet for a moment.
"Lin Feng? Who is that? Is it the person he's pointing at?"
"I don't think I recognize that person, and he said his nephew. Could it be..."
People started murmuring their confusion.
"Ohh! I know who it is. I remember that person."
Someone jumped up in realization.
Everyone looked at him. Seeing everyone's eyes on him, he realized it was a chance to show off, so he turned up his nose proudly and began to explain.
"Of course the Lin Feng he is talking about is the famous trash of Qinghe, the one who, because of a woman, got crippled by demon beasts and fell unconscious—the son of the Lin family's missing leader, Lin Batian."
Hearing the explanation, everyone gasped collectively, including the Lin family members.
"What? How could it be him? I thought he was still unconscious. I heard the doctors say he would never wake up again. How is he up?"
"Forget about that. Where did he get a kind of treasure that can trigger such a lightning tribulation?"
"Yes, how dare he use it here? Doesn't he know that possessing a treasure is an innocent man's crime? It's good now—not only will the treasure be lost, but the life he just recovered is about to be lost."
"Hmm, how can it be Lin Feng? Shao has woken up again?"
"Young master? I'm afraid he is no longer qualified to be the young master."
"It is said that the engagement of Lin Feng and the Yan family in the imperial capital has become a great shame to the Yan house, making them a laughingstock. They would come to our family to cancel the agreement in the coming days."
"Hehe, there will be a good show to watch soon."
Both the onlookers and Lin family members sneered at Lin Feng.
Lin Feng, on the other hand, alternated between gray and black. His chest heaved, his blood boiled in rage and disbelief hearing the words of Lin Hai, the crowd, and even his own clansmen.
'Is this what they all think of me? Just a trash?'
He was about to explode in anger when—
"Stop! Do not insult the young master!"
"I will not allow you to insult young master Lin Feng. None of this is his fault!"
She screamed at those who sneered and made snide remarks.
Hearing her come to his defense immediately snapped Lin Feng out of his anger, and he calmed down. Then he patted her on the head.
"It's okay. Thank you, Feifei."
He shot her a grateful smile, and she nodded, red-faced.
Although she was done talking, it didn't mean the others were. They began to berate her.
"What do you mean stop? He is a trash, and you are just the maid of a cripple. What do you think you are?"
"Yes! How dare a mere maid shout at the direct disciples of the house? Believe it or not, I will—"
"Enough!!"
A hoarse voice sounded, and an aura descended on the last person who spoke, making him spit out a mouthful of blood and collapse. Obviously, he was injured by the aura. Everybody hissed and stayed quiet. Those that spoke before the man quietly hid in the crowd, praying they wouldn't be remembered.
After acting, Lin Mu withdrew his aura and turned sharply to Lin Hai.
Although time seemed to have flown by, in reality it had only been a few breaths since Lin Hai's shocking confession, which made him unable to react.
"Lin Hai, what do you mean by calling Xiao Feng's name?"
He asked Lin Hai. Although he seemed calm on the surface, everyone knew that he was well and truly angry.
"What do I mean? Of course that Lin Feng is responsible for the phenomenon earlier."
"I'm not afraid to tell you, but the reason I haven't shown up is because I, alongside my two sons, were investigating the cause and effect of the lightning."
"It was actually my sons who discovered it. Xiao Tian, Xiao Fang, tell Elder Chen your discovery."
He gestured to his sons to speak.
"Yes, father!"
They both bowed slightly and began to speak.
"Elders and everyone, my senior brother and I were on our way to Brother Feng's courtyard to apologize for our earlier rudeness when we felt a very sinister and powerful aura rise from inside the courtyard."
"It was too powerful and evil that we couldn't withstand it, so we fled far away. Then shortly after, the tribulation clouds gathered. That's when our father asked us to search, and we informed him."
"Unfortunately, when he arrived and we stormed the courtyard, Lin Feng was gone and the dark clouds had dispersed."
Lin Fang narrated, and Lin Tian nodded, confirming what was said was true. He then turned to Lin Feng, giving him a mocking sneer.
"What else do you have to say, Junior Brother Feng?"
Lin Feng frowned, narrowing his eyes.
'So it wasn't even Lin Hai who discovered it.'
'It was them. How is that possible?'
He thought inwardly, always feeling something was wrong with that statement.
'Could it be the system failed? But is it possible?'
'System, you said you blocked anyone from being able to find out where specifically it came from, that they can only know its location roughly.'
'How can they possibly find out?'
[DING! SYSTEM CALCULATING THE POSSIBILITY OF DISCOVERY]
[CALCULATION COMPLETE. RESULT: 0% POSSIBILITY OF EVEN A MARTIAL EMPEROR DISCOVERING, LET ALONE A SMALL MARTIAL WARRIOR.]
'What? Zero percent? Then how could they possibly know?'
He thought, clearly confused. After all, the system is a thing that surpassed this world; it couldn't be wrong. Then it clicked.
'Could it be that they don't actually know, but they are just pouring dirty water on me?'
He thought of it and another terrifying possibility.
'Lin Hai actually wants to get rid of me using the Zhao family's hand.'
'Killing with a borrowed knife. What a good plan... but I won't let you succeed.'
Although inside his head was in chaos, he didn't show it on his face.
Facing the accusations, he simply raised his head, glanced at Lin Tian, then back to Lin Hai and sighed.
"Elder Lin Hai, please stop slandering me. I just woke up from a coma a few hours ago. Where could I have gone to get a treasure?"
He then looked at Zhao Chen.
"Elder Chen, I am just a cripple. How can a person with shattered meridians handle a thing that can attract heavenly tribulation?"
Zhao Chen said nothing but mentally agreed with Lin Feng.
'He is right. He's just a cripple. But would Lin Hai dare to lie to me, as I could annihilate the Lin family on a whim?'
'No. So what the hell is going on? Could it be Lin Feng is hiding the treasure and hoping to use it for a comeback?'
He thought. Then he remembered the genius of Lin Feng previously and how he suppressed everyone.
'No. His waking up is already suspicious. So no matter what, he must not be let go today.'
'Today he must die.'
He then turned to Lin Hai.
"Elder Hai, it is not that this old man doesn't believe you, but do you have any proof?"
"Proof? I don't have any. But won't it be clear when you take him down and check?"
Lin Hai shrugged and said.
Lin Mu became livid at his words.
"Lin Hai, you traitor! For the sake of the clan leader position, you do not hesitate to sell out your own nephew to outsiders!"
He said angrily while standing in a defensive stance.
"Third Brother, have you gone senile in your old age?"
"Do you not find it weird that a person who has been in a coma for several months, whom the best doctors in Qinghe and even several cities said would never wake up, suddenly wakes up and then attracts heavenly tribulation?"
His words made everyone think of possibilities.
"I think maybe his body was stolen by a heaven-defying existence, hence the thunder tribulation."
This made everybody shiver at the possibility.
"Nonsense! As we all know, the one who possesses another's body cannot have earlier memories, and I have already asked questions about his childhood and he passed the test."
Lin Mu defended persistently.
"Hahaha! Lin Mu, this is the Profound Spirit Continent. Who knows if there are any means to retain all past memories? After all, nobody knows everything."
His words made everyone, including Zhao Chen, nod.
Lin Feng behind them grew increasingly paler with each word.
'What do I do now? Is there a way out?'
'System, what are the chances of escaping from here?'
[DING! ANALYZING!]
[ANALYSIS COMPLETE. RESULT:
WITHOUT FOREIGN AID, CHANCES ARE 0%.]
His heart sank at the analysis.
On the other side, Zhao Chen had already lost his patience.
"Alright, enough. You will naturally know after investigating."
"All Zhao family army, block all exits and prevent Lin Feng from escaping!"
"Yes!"
They shouted together, clanging their spears against the floor in unison, then getting into position.
"Elder Hai, please hold Lin Mu and stop him from intervening."
He turned to Lin Hai and asked.
"Of course, no problem."
Lin Hai said, then turned to the rest of the Lin family members.
"All Lin family, assist Elder Zhao in capturing Lin Feng!"
"Yes, Grand Elder."
They answered, then bowed slightly to the Third Elder.
"We apologize to the Third Elder for the offense."
They ran toward Lin Feng at the same time as Zhao Chen.
"You guys... okay, okay! Very well then!"
He then tried to rush to Lin Feng but was blocked by Lin Hai.
"Get out of my way, Lin Hai!" he shouted urgently, his eyes red with anger.
"I'm sorry, brother. I can't do that."
"Then let's battle."
Lin Mu said, forming a hand seal. Wind element Qi surged to the limit and forged into four wind tornadoes, pushing toward Lin Feng, trying to throw him into the air and far away from there.
"Like I would let you!"
In response, Lin Hai pinched a hand seal as well, and an earth wall appeared from inside the tornadoes, dispersing it.
"Damnit!"
On Lin Feng's side, upon seeing his own clan members rushing toward him to aid his enemy, he clenched his fists.
'I need strength. If only I had strength, how could I be so embarrassed?'
'If I had strength, I would just slap everyone responsible to death.'
'Strength... I need strength.'
He repeated to himself again and again, but seeing Zhao Chen only a few meters away from him, he paled and lost all hope.
'Is this where it all ends?'
"Nooo!!!" Lin Mu screamed.
Lin Hai across from him had his eyes lit up with joy.
Zhao Chen stretched out his hand about to capture Lin Feng and broke into a savage grin.
But just as he was about to touch him, he hit a transparent barrier and bounced back several meters, staggering.
"Who!!!"